This month, I want to study the book of Malachi. This is the very last book in the Old Testament. Once God stops speaking four short chapters later, He is silent for 400 years! I want to dig into God's Word and find out what God wanted to say in the final chapters of the Old Testament, gain insight on what made God stop talking to His people, and hopefully gain a better understanding of the scriptures. Whether you do this study alone, or with a small group, please let me know in the comments below, or via email if this is something you enjoy on my blog. If you have a particular request of a book or topic to study, please let me know and I will prayerfully consider including it.
As with other studies, I like to include the introduction my Bible has for the book we are studying. Here is the introduction to The Book of Malachi:
MALACHI, a prophet in the days of Nehemiah, directs his message of judgment to a people plagued with corrupt priests, wicked practices, and a false sense of security in their privileged relationship with God. Using the question-and-answer method, Malachi probes deeply into their problems of hypocrisy, infidelity, mixed marriages, divorce, false worship, and arrogance. So sinful has the the nation become that God's words to the people no longer have any impact. For four hundred years after Malachi's ringing condemnation s, God remains silent. Only with the coming of John the Baptists (prophesied in 3:1) does God again communicate to His people through a prophet's voice.
The meaning of the name Mal'aki ("My Messenger") is probably a shortened form of Mal'akya, "Messenger of Yahweh," and it is appropriate to the book which speaks of the coming of the "messenger of the covenant" )"messenger is mentioned three times in 2:7; 3:1). The Septuagint used the title Malachias even though it also translated it "by the hand of the messenger." The Latin title is Maleachi.
Read through the third chapter of Malachi. It is only 18 verses. Grab a notebook or journal, pen or pencil, and keep your Bible open as we break the bread together. I will be asking questions throughout today's study. Record your answers in your book. If you are participating in this study with friends or a small group, use the questions for talking points. The purpose of this study is to dig deeper into the Word of God and to apply the lessons to our own lives. Feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
Let's begin!
Verses 1-6 The Messenger of the Covenant
Malachi begins the third chapter of this short book introducing the one who would prepare the way before the LORD. We know the one who prepared the way is John the Baptist. Let's read the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 11:10-15.
MATTHEW 11:10-15
10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send a messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
The Old Testament prophet, Malachi, the last to contribute to that great section of the Bible, has proclaimed the day when the messenger would come and prepare the way before Jesus. This happened. This is prophesy fulfilled a few pages over in Matthew. Jesus, Himself, declares it to be. The messenger was to herald the ministry of the Messiah.
In verses two and three, it talks about the refiner's fire and the fullers' soap to refine and purify. There needed to be a refining process. There had to be some cleaning up and purification take place before they could offer an offering to the LORD in righteousness. Then, verse four says, the offering will be pleasant unto the LORD, like in the old days and former time. It will be the way He said it should be.
Verse five spells out the things God's judgment is coming against. The book of Nehemiah mirrors this sentiment. Often God would put forth His commands, the children of Israel would disobey and harden their hearts, punishment would come, then the same command would come forth, and after much hardship and tribulation, they would soften their hearts to obey. Why not just obey the first time? Let's compare Nehemiah to Malachi in verse five.
- Perversion of the priesthood. Malachi 1:6 through Malachi 2:9
- Perversion of the priesthood. Nehemiah 13:4-9
- Mixed marriages. Malachi 2:11-16
- Mixed marriages. Nehemiah 13:23-27
- Problems in society. Malachi 3:5
- Problems in society. Nehemiah 5:1-13
- Disobedience of principles governing giving. Malachi 3:8-11
- Disobedience of principles governing giving. Nehemiah 13:10-14
Verse six sums it all up. God does not change. He does not say one thing and do another. He does not set a standard and then lower it if we do not meet it. He does not change! He says what He means and He means what He says. God is full of love and mercy and that is why the sons of Jacob are not consumed. Their existence rested upon the covenant promises of the unchangeable God.
Questions: Aren't you glad God does not change? Aren't you glad our sins were forgiven and we did not have to pay the penalty? What does it mean to you that God does not change? How is that a comfort to you? In a world of changes, how can God remain the same? Do we see some of the same problems listed in verse four in our world today? How so? What do you struggle with from that list?
Verses 7-18 Robbing God of His Offerings
In verse seven, God said that they had strayed away from His laws since the time their fathers were alive. This was a continual, habitual behavior of not obeying God's laws. Return to Me, said God, and I will return to you. That sounds like a beautiful promise. Their response was How shall we return? God tells them exactly how they can return to Him and it is by doing what He told them to do in the first place!
Verses eight through twelve are God's explanation of what exactly they were doing wrong and He throws down a challenge for them to prove Him, if He won't bless them so much they cannot even imagine if they would obey His Word. He had already provided specific directions about how to handle the tithes and offerings.
Numbers 18:21-24
21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.
24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
The tithes were animals and produce and were used to support the Levites and their families who were the ministers under the covenant. They were robbing God because the tithes they were bringing were of such poor quality it reflected a poor attitude on their behalf. By robbing God they were actually robbing themselves.
In verses 10-12, God tells them to prove Him because they questioned His integrity and character. If they would go back to the original ordinance and follow it exactly the way it was written they would experience the blessing in their obedience. He would restore their crops, bless the work of their hands, cause other nations to observe the favor of God over their nation, and they would please God.
In verses 13-15, God's people had come to believe that the wicked and proud were blessed and excelled and even were exempt from God's punishment they no longer saw the value in serving God.
God always has a remnant, we see in verse 16 there were people who feared the Lord and listened to Malachi's warning. God was not far away and distant but we see from this verse that He was so close He overheard them talking and kept a book of remembrance for them that thought upon His name. In verse 17 God declared these people his special jewels.
The chapter ends by telling them there is a difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and don't. It may not always be clear that the wicked are going to be punished and the righteous will be blessed but we cannot look at things the way they are perceived in the natural.
Questions: Based on what we've learned today, do you think this passage is a requirement to tithe today? Do you give a tithe to God, why or why not? Do you see similarities in our society and churches today where we are calling evil good and good evil? What do you think the solution is to getting back to holiness? What can you do personally?
"We cannot expect the Church to exhibit more godliness than its leaders."
-Mary Lou Whitlock
I know this was a lot to think about but I feel like it's important to dig deep into these few short chapters to understand the meaning behind 400 years of silence from God. May we have open hearts and open minds as we dive into the word together. Next week, we will finish the book of Malachi and it is my prayer that we will all have a richer understanding of what God expects from each of us. May something shared today be strength for your journey and light for your way.
God bless you!
~Bridgett Owens
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